Somewhere To Belong
by black-ice-alchemist
Summary: This is a self insert, deal with it. Two girls, bored out of their minds. A blank wall and a pack of chalk, mixed with a love of FMA, which equals trouble. RoyXoc, EnXoc. Humor, angst, yada yada. Rated M for a reason. Sister story by Nikolle Nevin
1. Chapter 1: Saturday Night Mischief

CHAPTER ONE: SATURDAY NIGHT MISCHIEF

Have you ever noticed how your bedroom windows are **always** placed in the perfect position for the sun to shine **directly** into your friggin' eyes?

Yeah, and people** wonder** why I hate the sun...

On this particular period of morning blindness, I groaned and made the mistake of glaring at the stupid ball of brightness that was behind my lack of dreamland-ness. Ouch. Sun=2. Casey=epic fail.

I shoved my way out from under the nest of blankets and pillows covering me on top of the mess I called a bed, figuring I wouldn't let the sun mock me any further. I made my way over to my beaten up (but still kick ass)j stereo and whacked at the on button until it obeyed me. (It's a wonder the thing still works...) The Ultimate Showdown of Ultimate Destiny by Lemon Demon immediately began blaring through it's speakers as I waded through my tornado devastation site to my closet, humming along with the lyrics. Kinda doing a retarded, 'I'm-still-half-asleep-and-acting-like-an-idiot' dance, I selected from my clothes hoard at random, pulling out a Suicide Silence band tee and a plain pair of faded black jeans. I threw 'em on, along with my favorite pair of light grey and black checkered knee socks. Ahhh, sweet awesomeness... I didn't bother with shoes. Hey, it was Saturday, why should I go around the house with awkward shoes? Meh, shoes...

Only one thing missing...where was my mp3 player??? Time to dig through my room...greeeaaatttt....

In case you haven't gotten the hint by now, my room's a rather **large** mess.

It took me about thirty minutes to find my mp3...whoops, guess I shouldn't have left it in my closet...I swear the monster that lives there took off with it!!! It **eats** all my stuff!!! Anyway, I plugged in my headphones and switched off my stereo, no longer needing it. Thank god for portable music devices...

...Then again, maybe not...thanks to said music thingy, I almost missed my cell phone playing the familiar tune of "This is Halloween" the Marilyn Manson version.

"Hello?" wow, my voice sounded **horrible** in the morning!

"Hiya, Case." came the voice of my best friend and partner in crime, Alayne, a.k.a Layne. "Is tonight ok?" she continued, "I know you haven't cleaned your room in a **millennium** or so, but I was hoping your mom would decide to be benevolent....." Damn. Layne and her stupid early morning large word addiction...

"Yeah," I grouched, annoyed at said large word, "you practically **live** here anyway. It'd be unfair if mom were to deny you access to the place you **sleep, **now wouldn't it?" Ha, take that! My awesomely compiled sentence! Two could play the 'let's-talk-like-a-bunch-of-genii' game! But then my competitively winning induced joy was spoiled with her next words. "My words were bigger, Case. You know phrases don't count if one of us actually uses it in actual conversation." Damn. woman just **couldn't** let me have my fun, could she? "Anyway," she said, and I could tell she was moving by the slight change in her breathing pattern, "When I get to your place, don't blame me if I completely crash. My brothers have kept me up **all friggin' night** watching horror movies. I can quote Saw I word for word now!" She sounded aggravated, though I couldn't see why. It sounded like a fun night to me..."Just a second, Case." Alright....1. It's been a second! But I didn't really feel like playing smartass and pointing that fact out, so...I kept my mouth shut. I could hear some movie playing in the background on her side of the phone...a kinda childish scream...wonder which movie they were watching. huh.

"O ye of whom I'm related to!" she sort of shouted, but still with an indoor voice (heheh, "indoor voice". Sounds like I'm in preschool. "Oh children! Use your indoor voices!!! Stop that horrid shouting!") "I'm going over to Casey's," she continued, "Tell mom and dad I'll be back some time tomorrow." Yeah, more like next week when Spring Break ended... "**Don't burn the house down again. **_seriously, _I had to work for God-only-knows how many days of Summer vacation to get the roof repaired. Oh, and Leon, Sky's gerbil got into your room." I could see it now...Leo jumping up to go grab something from his stash of random pointy sharp, 'ow, I just stabbed you in the gut, that had to hurt, let me go get you a band aid' stash to attack the poor fuzzy thing Sky called a gerbil. I still say that thing's a robot sent to destroy all my cookies. It **ate** them! I could only pray Leo found that damn thing and whacked it's hard drive to smithereens. Go mr. Lion!!!

My insanely random thoughts were interrupted when Layne said, "I'm back, Case. Sorry about that..." Yeah, uh huh. "S'ok," I said, bored. To keep myself entertained, I picked up my trusty pocket knife and began flipping it into the air. "So, anyway, when are you coming? Like, right now, right?" She laughed on her side of the phone connection, but stopped abruptly. "Stop that, Case." Huh? "Stop what?" I heard her sigh. "Your throwing around that stupid knife of yours, aren't you? Stop it. I don't wanna have to bandage your hand again. It's rather annoying to have to do it every three days, seeing as that's how often you're caught with a blade sticking out of your hand.?" What the hell?! Is that woman psychic?!

"Gah. What are you, my **mother**?" Seriously, she's always looking out for me as if she's my parent. I don't need a mother. I need a half decent **father,** yes, but my mom is already amazing as is, thankyouverymuch. sigh.

"No. I'm not your mother," she said in an amused tone, "I couldn't be, unless I had you in the womb." ...That **would** be kinda bad...wouldn't it? "Besides, you're scary enough without having any of my family blood in you." ...She had a point, sadly. "Flattery will get you nowhere," I said, smirking. "Now, you know I hate talking on the phone for any period of time, especially in the mornings. Get off the phone and get your lazy ass over here!"

It's true. I hate talking on the phone for any longer than eight minutes at a time. i prefer to text or email. Maybe that's just 'cuz I love to write so much. Who knows?

"Alright, alright! Jeesh!" Layne griped, "You and your phone phobia!"

"It is **not **a phobia! I'm not afraid of phones! I just don't like 'em!" Jeesh, did the woman love to screw with me or somethin'?

"Whatever you say," She chuckled. "Anyway, see ya in a bit." with that, the dial tone made its entrance. Stupid annoying buzz noise.

I put my phone down on my end-table again, and reached for my notebook. Might as well pass the time it took her to get here by writing...

* * *

I don't know about you guys, but to me, there's nothing else in the world like sitting at my favorite, black painted desk in my comfy chair with my mp3 blaring at top volume through the buds in my ears and a pen held in my hand, furiously pouring out my thoughts and ideas. Nothing in the world. This was my little slice of heaven. Well, this and anime, anyway. But since I was writing an anime fanfic...I guess I got the best of both heavens right here, eh? Heh.

Writing puts me in my own little world. One where my dad isn't a complete jerk-off, and I'm not considered a freak by most of my family along with almost all of the rest of the population of the area Layn and I lived. Yeah, that's right, were' the freaks. So what?

Anyway, writing and music were the two ways I used to forget about anything I didn't like in life. Some people used alcohol, like my father. Some people used drawing, like my mom. I had music and writing. I'm just glad that mine wasn't self-harmful.

I was brought out of the new world I had created (partially created. I owe most of the world's creation to the Manga artist behind the original story...) by the most **delicious** smell in the entire world. I looked to my left to see a steaming cup of coffee, made the way that made me drool. Mixed with French Vanilla goodness. oooohhh goooooddddddddd.....

I didn't ask questions, like the obvious one of, "How the hell did **that** get there?!?!" No, I dove for that thing like a cat on a mouse!!! COFFEEE!!!!!!!!

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HOLY SHIT!!! **HOT** COFFEE!!!

I gagged and began fanning my poor, screaming-in-agony mouth. My eyes were watering beyond belief, it looked like I was full out crying. I was about to run for the kitchen and cool, sweet relief in the form of Dr. Pepper (since I normally wouldn't touch water with a ten foot pole), when a plastic spoon full of something very cold was shoved into my open mouth, immediately calming some of my frantic nerve endings. Oh...that felt nice... and...oddly enough, **tasted** nice as well. Actually...it tasted like coffee...

I heard laughing from beside me, and finally the question of, "Who the hell just shoved a spoonful of coffee flavored ice-cream down my throat?!" made itself known. Hmmm, nice going, brain, that's a good question! Too bad you thought of it about....3 minutes too late!

Anyway, I turned to see who the hell it was, to see none other than Alayne beside me, trying her damnedest to smother her laughter. I shot her one of my best death glares, to which she replied with a small, amused wave. "Damn it, Layne! That wasn't funny! My tongue wants to come out and bitch-slap you!!!" She chuckled. "How eloquently put, Case. Unfortunately, I don't happen to like you that way."

"Ah, shuddup," I growled. I stole the plastic spoon from her, as well as the small tub of ice cream from her and wolfed some more down to finish quieting the agony coming from behind my teeth.

After the not quite hypothetical flames had died down, I turned off my mp3 and put it in my pocket. I turned my chair to where it faced my bed, where Layne sat. "So, what took you so long?" i asked.

I watched as she popped a spoonful of ice cream from her tub into her mouth. "Well," she said after she swallowed, "Where do you think this stuff came from? My parent's good will?" She snorted. Poor girl...her family's the really busy kind. To tell you the truth, I don't see how Layne managed to stay any semblance of the word 'sane'. Living with four other siblings, plus a dad who's almost never there and a mom who practically **breathes** her job. I just couldn't see it. I myself have had only two half brothers, both twenty six and out of the house. It's not like I never saw them, Mike lives just a few minutes away, and, while Steve lived an hour in a half away, he came by frequently...but jeesh, come on! **two **brothers are a headache and a half! Imagine **four** of 'em!!!

"Nah," she said, "I stopped by Cowboys on the way here. Ooh," she got an excited look on her face. "Guess what else I brought." I stared at her expectantly, eyebrow raised. That was Casey speak for, 'Well? Get to the damn point already!' She didn't buy it. "Seriously, guess." she deadpanned.

"...um...the remains of that furry cyborg your brother was keeping as a pet, the poor fool?" I asked hopefully. Perhaps that beady eyed auto-matron had finally met its mechanic doom?

"Is that what you dream of at night?" Damn. I guess mr. Nuts and Bolts gets to live another day. "Seriously, you just can't get over him attacking your cookies **one time**? He's a gerbil!" She laughed. I don't know why, I couldn't find anything funny about it... No, I couldn't get over it. I could not forgive something so cruel as to **eat** my **cookies!!!**

"Seriously," Layne continued, "forgive the poor thing. Anyway, I got us a case of Monsters for tonight, seeing as the 'rents aren't gonna be here tonight." She grinned, probably thinking about all the crazy shit we'd probably do while hyped up on sugar. Oh dear, I could just see the chaos now.... Yeah, I don't wanna think about that right now...

As to the parents absence thing, my mom had to go fix her best friend Jen's computer, (Which would no doubt take until the wee hours of the morning, since Jen's idiot son Cole likes nothing better than to spend hours on end playing stupid games that are filled to the brim with viruses and trojans that love to screw with the computer...stupid Cole.) and my dad was going to 'help move his business from the old building to the new one.' I say that with quotations because I know for a fact that he's not doing any moving. He's going to a bar with his co-owner Macey and his whore of a wife, Katie. In short, he probably won't be home for a **long** time.

"Wow. Are you looking for a piece of insanity?" I asked, rolling my eyes at Layne. I hopped out of my chair and moved to sit beside her on the bed, slowly taking another sinful spoonful of ice cream. ahhhhh, heaven in a tub.

"Well, didn't you say we were gonna pull an all-nighter? If you want me up that long you're gonna **need** to put some caffeine in me. Horror movie marathon, remember?" Oh yeeeaaaahhhh.... Forgot about that... "...but come on!!" oh shit, I hadn't heard all of that! Damn my short attention span!!! "I had a double shift at the VFW!" She stopped for a second, then shot me a sheepish look. "Um....sorry Case. Wasn't paying attention." Ha, that makes two of us.

I eyed her half empty ice cream tub. "weeeeellllllll....if you **really** want to make it up to me...." Layne proceeded to look at me as if I had two heads and a tail. "Uh, me thinkith not. **my ice-cream**. But I **will** get you another tub, if you go with me. How 'bout that?" she grinned and shoveled in a spoonful of icy goodness.

"nah..." I sighed dejectedly "too much effort." I threw myself backward across my bed, my head going over the edge so that I could watch my TV, which was showing iCarly. the episode where Fred and Sam kiss just turned on. Ahhhh, humor... "Hey Case?" Hm? I lifted my head a little so I could see Layne, then cringed a tiny bit as the blood began to rush back to my head. "Can we watch somethi--**DON'T DROP THE CAMERA!" **aaaannnnndddd he dropped the camera. Heh, Layne says that every time she sees this episode. I laughed. "Can we watch something else?" She asked, "I've seen this episode about four times. And I know that means you've seen it at least three more times, you addict." My eye twitched. "Hey, I resent that! I've seen it **five** times!" That was meant to make her laugh. I purposely skipped rejecting the addict comment, knowing she'd find that funny. One of my main goals in life is to see her laugh as much as possible, since she didn't laugh very often for a while there.

"Anyway, can we please watch something else? You can pick."

Yeah, as if I couldn't pick in my own house. That's such a big deal. Sigh...oh well. "...Sure," I said, shrugging. "Let's see...." hm...what to watch? "OH! I got it!!!" I jumped up off my bed and hurried over to my bookshelf/movie stand thingy and selected the DVD I wanted. I waved it a bit so Layne would look at it. It was Fullmetal Alchemist: The Conquerer of Shambala. one of my favorite movies **ever.** "So, how's this?" I asked excitedly. I'd seen this at **least** a hundred times, and I'll probably see it another **three** hundred before I hit my seventeenth birthday. I recently turned sixteen, so... Maybe that gives you a little hint as to how much I love it.

Layne grinned. "Of course. Wanna see if you can recite it yet?" Ahh, the infinitely used joke between she and I. We quoted a certain movie back and forth all the time. (coughPhantomoftheOperacough) It was a silly little thing we did when we were bored. "I don't **have** to see, I **know** I can." I declared confidently. I knew that movie like the back of my eyelids.

I popped the movie into my playstation 2, which I used in place of a DVD player. Sure, I **had** a DVD player, just didn't use it. It was packed up and put away, since I figured it was a waste of space since the PS worked perfectly fine. I turned off my light for better movie enjoyment, and took my place beside Layne. Ahh, this was going to be a perfect way to spend the next two hours.

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The credits played, signaling the ending to the place I wish I could be. Oh, to have an adventure like the Fullmetal Alchemist himself...to feel of what be the most wonderful, pleasureful rush of electricity and power when you create or change something with alchemy. To see the character that I loved the most in the flesh...that 'bastard colonel', the Flame Alchemist.

...Sigh.

Most girls my age dream of being swept off their feet into a world of parties and white knights with noble steeds and unimaginable riches, but **I** dream of being swept into a world of science, adventure, and dark princes with knowing smiles and fox-like cleverness. Yes, badass me daydreams of these sort of things.

I shook my head, trying to throw off such thoughts. Enough daydreaming, I had a movie to put in its place!

I stood, stretching in obedience to my sore muscles, then opened my ps2 to get the movie out carefully. I placed it gently in it's case and moved to set it back on its shelf. I turned to plop myself on the bed again. "Ahhh, that was good," I grinned. "...So, what now?" I turned to look at Layne expectantly.

"Uhh....Light the house on fire? Oh wait, that's been done already." Gah! Why did she always blame **me** for that?! That was Leon's fault, not mine!!! I threw a pillow at her head, which, unfortunately for me, she dodged somewhat clumsily. "Hey," she cried defensively, "It's not like I'm lying!" She laughed, tossing the pillow back at me. I caught it and replaced it at the head of the bed where it previously lie. "Yeah yeah. You **know** that wasn't my fault." I leveled her with a glare, then looked around my room. "Hm...what to do..." My gaze landed on a pack of chalk I kept for the hell of it. I kinda it stole from this teacher I hated...the pack was sort of my trophy for avenging myself and my fellow classmates of her torture.

"Hey...Layne, I've got an idea!!!" She shot me a 'huh?' look. I could actually **see **the look of understanding slowly make its way across her face. "You...want to try that? Seriously?" No, I was **joking. **"Yes I'm serious. I'm bored, it's something to do, and I've been wanting to draw something on my wall for a while now. C'mon!" Yes, I do random things like drawing on my wall. What can I say? I'm awesome that way.

Without waiting for her reply, I stood again and grabbed a piece of chalk from the box and began twirling it around between my fingers.

I bet you're wondering just what my idea was, right? Or maybe you've already guessed it. Either way, I'm gonna tell you. **Deal with it.** If you haven't already figured it out, I happen to be obsessed with Fullmetal Alchemist. I've actually gone so far as to memorize most of the alchemical arrays used throughout the show. So I figured it'd be cool to draw a couple on the walls. And hey, if I ended up not liking it (which I highly doubted) then at least they would be done in **chalk**, which could be easily washed off. Ah, logic. it kicks ass.

"So, which one do you think we should do first? I'm thinking either the original transmutation array or the one on Roy Mustang's gloves. So..." I hadn't actually waited for her to say whether or not she would help me do this, I already knew she would. She was just as bored as I was. So without any further ado, I go to work. I figured I'd do both. Hey, my wall was decently large, it could take it.

I finished with Roy's array, and began to work on the transmutation circle, when Layne spoke up, "Um...the original one?" She sounded uncertain...kinda nervous. "Case? ...What if it works?" Ok, **what?**

I turned to look like her like she'd grown another head. "what...? Layne, you know that's not possible. If it was, there'd be FMA fangirls all over the place popping off the face of the earth, never to be seen again!" Jeesh, I knew the girl was smart, but c'mon! **I'm** supposed to be the one without any common sense! "And besides," I continued, "I'm just doing it as a bored time-passer that honors my love of all things alchemic and full-metally! Nothing wrong or gate-angering about that!" Haha, I loved my word creations...masterpieces...works of art...take your pick of which name to call them.

"All I'm saying is, what if it **could** and/or **does** work? Shouldn't we at least try to see if it works?" ...Sometimes I fear for that poor woman's sanity. She was **actually** considering the possibility of an anime world existing, and a simple circle with lines and curves being the thing that opens the gateway to said anime world. Wow. Not saying it wasn't something I fantasized about, but... I don't really believe in things like that. I may believe in an invisible, all seeing guy that judged whether your afterlife was fun and happy or painful and terrifying, but I draw the line at a parallel world where alchemy reins. And yet **I** was supposed to be the eccentric, 'I'll believe in anything, including a bionic rodent-thing' person. Sigh...

"I don't think it'll work, Lay. But...if it makes you feel any better, pack us a duffle bag or something. At least that way if it "**does**" (I air quoted the does) happen, then at least we'll be somewhat prepared...right? Does **that** make you feel a little better?" I smiled to show I wasn't trying to patronize her, though I was pretty sure she'd feel like I was no matter what I did. I couldn't exactly help that, though, so whatever.

While she messed with her duffel, I went over to my awesome Roy Mustang book bag (I use it specifically for sleep overs and such) and began to toss random articles of clothing inside. I also shoved in my mp3 charger, my DS and it's charger, my small laptop (recently bought, to my complete and utter joy), and my wallet. (I don't like to carry my wallet in my bag, so it goes in whatever I carry with me. Yeah, I know, I'm weird. Deal with it.) I figured if I was gonna play this game with Layne, I might as well go all out about it. I hefted my bag on one shoulder, then tossed it beside Layne. I waited as patiently as I could for her to sort everything in her bag, then sighed. "Alright, then." I picked the chalk back up and began working again on the circle. "So," I said, trying to make conversation as I worked, "You kind of act as if you **want** it to be real. Do you? I'd ask **why**, but I think I'd be a dumbass, since I think I already know the answer to that, so..." If I were in an anime, there'd be about three or four sweatdrops on my forehead right about now... Finished, I set the chalk down and turned, waiting for her answer.

"Well...Don't you think it would be awesome to be there? See what it would look like in real life, meet the people, stay for awhile? Can you really blame me for wanting it?" She looked a little lost, as if in her own little world.

"No..." I said, drawing it out thoughtfully, "I can't. I myself have asked you those questions, do you really think I'd play the role of hypocrite today?" I grinned. "So...um...what? Should we...clap?" I sighed. "Damn, I feel like a dumbass right now..." I chuckled, slightly embarrassed. "Well," she said, "they do in the show, so....yeah, I guess so." Eh, makes sense. "alright then...shall we?" I waited for her to move to stand beside me. "On the count of three...one...two...THREE!!!" At the same time, We clapped our hands and smacked the chalk covered wall.

**End Chapter.**


	2. Chapter 2: It Failed! Or Did It?

Somewhere To Belong Chapter Two: It Failed! ...Or Did It?

Nothing happened, except we hurt the crap outta our hands. "Sonuva!" I cried and waved my poor, injured palms around in a pitiful attempt at relief. "That hurt like a mother!" I glared at the wall. "Well," Layne said, sounding somewhat disappointed, "That was anticlimactic..." Yup. Sure was... Though I knew better from the beginning, I was sharing her bummed attitude. Not that I'd let her know that. I moved over to pity pat her on the head gently. "Sorry, Lay-" I was interrupted as a bright blue-ish flash decided to blind me. 'OW!' was my last thought, before the blackness came to visit. Che, how cliché.

-insert awesome line break of doom here please-

I woke up in a weird, foggy place. Everything had an odd, golden tint to it. Where the hell was I?!?! Beside me, Layne started to stir. She sat up and rubbed her eyes sleepily.. "Hey," I said, "You ok?" She nodded. "Ok then...by any chance, do you happen to know where we are?"

"Uhh...I dunno..." she shook her head and looked around.

"Interesting," said a random voice out of nowhere, "Two young girls from the other world managed to find their way here. " What the hell?! I spun around, my eyes searching in all directions as I tried to find the owner of the voice. There was no one there! Was I going crazy?

"um, Layne? Did you hear that, or should I check myself into the Crazy House???" I kinda hoped I wouldn't have to...I'd probably end up in the same one as my idiot cousin Kaye...hoo boy, that'd be pure chaos...I'd seriously fear for the people that worked there....

"Y-yeah, I heard that, too...Can two people go insane at the same time and have the same thing happen to them?" she asked.

"I don't...think so..." Gah, my brain hurt... "To answer your question," The damn voice said, "Yes, you can. But you aren't crazy. Well, maybe you are, to have come here..."

"HEY!" I cried, "Alright, **that's it!!** Come out here and face me so I can kick your ass!" I was gonna kill me an asshole!

Before my very eyes a weird, person looking thing began to slowly fade into some semblance of being here. "What the...hell?! Who the hell are..." I faded out as I realized who the hell I was looking at. "I," the thing said, sounding bored, "am truth. But you already knew that, right?"

Oh shit, I was right.

You're.....the G-gate?" Layne stuttered slightly, which was normally a sign that she was either confused, embarrassed, or terrified. Something told me It was a little of both option one and three. "How did we get here?" She asked, then got a 'light-bulb', slightly hopeful look on her face. "Did our array work after all?" Huh. It was the best explaination...How was this possible?!

"Well, you're here, aren't you?" The gate was matter-of-fact, which really pissed me off. It sighed. "Well now, I'd love to chitchat, but being the gate to two worlds keeps me rather busy, so...about your toll..."

Oh shit, I forgot about that! If you go to the Gate, you have to pay a toll! Equivalent Exchange and all that jazz!

"T-toll?" Layne asked, sounding taken aback. "Yes, toll." That bastard of a Gate guy said again in that bored-as-hell tone. "You can't leave here without paying some form of toll...Let's see. Ah, that's it." As it finished talking, the dramatically huge gate-door-thing behind it opened a crack, and black arms shot out. Greeeaaattt. "I want to kill you now, you know that?" I asked the Gate. I could of sworn I saw a grin-like thing appear on its face. "Yes," it said, sounding slightly amused, "I do. I'm truth, remember? I know everything." The hands clasped themselves around Layne and my arms and legs. 'Well, this won't be fun...' I thought as I was slowly dragged toward the huge door where my toll was apparently about to be paid.

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I awoke to a circle of suprised-as-hell faces staring down at me. What the...hell?! I shot up into a sitting position. **"WHERE THE HELL AM I?!?!"** I screamed at the top of my lungs. I jumped up and forced my way out of the circle of people and backed into a corner. "H-how did I get here?!" My eyes darted around the room, trying to find anything that could possibly give me a clue as to where I was.

"We were about to ask you the same thing," Said a slightly short, chubby guy with red hair. "You just popped out of the ceiling! You landed on my lunch!" He shined and held up a very smooshed looking sand which. ...whoops. A tall guy with blonde hair and a cigarette (ugh. Smoking sucks.) chuckled. "Poor Breda. Suck it up, man!" He walked forward slowly, palms up to show he wasn't going to hurt me. "Are you ok, miss? You look very pale." Ah ha ha. Pale. That was the **natural** me! When were people gonna get that through their damn heads?! Not all of us get to show off a perfectly golden tan! Jeesh! (no matter how long I went out into the sun, I couldn't seem to get a tan. Not that I really minded; I **liked** being pale.)

"I'm fine," I gritted out. "Just confused as hell. I don't-" I stopped short as the memories from earlier popped into my brain. "Holy shit, the gate!" I cried. I turned toward the wall and slammed my head against it. How could I have been so fucking ** stupid**?!?!

Suddenly my head banging came to a halt as some idiot grabbed my hair and yanked. "Stop, you'll hurt yourself." I did stop. I completely froze. I **knew** that voice... Slowly I looked upward to the point of seeing behind me to see the anime character I happened to adore. Not to the point of being a complete fangirl, mind you, but...he was definitely my favorite. The bastard Colonel himself was staring down at me.

For what I think is the first time in my life, I was speechless. I opened my mouth to say something, but nothing came out but a small squeak. Damn, what the hell was wrong with me?

Meh, whatever. I reached behind me and smacked his hand as hard as possible so he'd let go of my hair. I spun to where my back was facing the wall again, and glared. "I don't think that's any of **your** business, asswipe." I crossed my arms in my normal defiant way. Instead of doing what I expected and being pissed, the man--**Roy--**chuckled. "Ok then, respecting personal boundaries, So what's your name?"

"It's rude to ask someone's name without first giving your own," I said smugly. I **would** get under his skin if it was the last thing I would do! But apparently not right now. Roy smiled. "My name is Colonel Roy Mustang." He motioned to the two behind him. "Heymans Breda and Jean Havoc. Now, miss....?" I sighed and rolled my eyes. "Casey." His smile became more of a triumphant smirk. "Nice to meet you, Casey. Now, could you please explain how you got here?" Crap. This would take a while...

"Well," I began, "I was bored out of my mind, and I had a piece of chalk, so..."

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It took about thirty minutes to explain everything, mainly because Havoc and Breda kept interrupting to ask questions. It was rather annoying actually. At least Roy kept quiet through most of it, for which I was eternally grateful. Surprisingly enough.

As expected, everyone was a little skeptical. "Are you expecting us to believe that you came from a world that is alternate to ours, and that you came from the **future**?" Breda asked, his eyebrow raised. "I'm sorry, but I can't help but...well, not believe you." Yeah, I sort of expected that. "Well believe me or not, I don't give a shit. I've just gotta get **back!**" I stood from the chair I had been sitting in, courtesy of col. Mustang. Everyone had pulled chairs into his office on Roy's request "And also..." I rubbed my temples and tried to think. "...It feels like...I'm **missing** something. Like there should be something..." I sighed, frustrated. Breda rolled his eyes, and I glared at him. I always** knew** I hated that guy for some reason.... Thankfully, before the dumbass could say anything else, Havoc, who had been sitting beside him, smacked him upside the head. "Be nice, man!" He said, He turned to me and gave a slight smile. "I believe you." I returned his smile and nodded thankfully.

I didn't realize it until then, but the entire time I'd been explaining this, I had been terrified that they wouldn't believe me. What would I have done if I had explained all of this, then no one actually thought it was true? That would've sucked out loud.

I turned to the one who hadn't said anything yet, R. Mustang. He sat at his desk, his head propped on his hands. He looked deep in thought, and the evil little bitch inside of me had an idea that I just couldn't resist. I sent a shushing motion toward the others, then headed over to stand beside the dark haired Colonel. When I was right beside him, I bent over.................and screamed in his ear.

He jerked as if someone just tried to shove a hot coal into his ear, almost falling out of his chair. "Wh-what?!" He shouted. By then the rest of us were doubled over with laughter. "Oh man," Havoc said between fits of laughter, "I like you already, Casey!" Ahh, a fellow prank lover.

Roy glared at me for a minute, then tried his hardest to regain composure. He cleared his throat. "Well, I don't know what to believe. But the fact is, you're here. I looked, and your name doesn't exist in this world. Period. So, I guess this is worth looking into. So, until we can figure something out, I'll set it up for you to stay with one of us. Alright?" I slowly nodded. "Uh," Breda spoke up, "She can't stay with me. I live in the military dorms. Not enough room." Oh thank God. I didn't know** what** I'd do if I had to stay with that asshole. Havoc sighed. "It'd be kind of cool if she stayed with me, but..." he glared at Roy. "You've got me so busy lately, I don't think it'd be a good idea." Ok then, my choices have been narrowed down to...I gulped.

"Then I guess you'll be staying with me," Roy said with a tiny sigh.

Shit.

**End Chapter 2.**


	3. Chapter 3: The Reluctant Tenant

Chapter three: The Reluctant Tenant (yeah, reluctant my ASS)

".....What?! No **way** I'm staying with you! NO!!! Not no but **hell** no! Not gonna happen!!!" I could feel the heat of a blush making its way across my face as I said this. Why oh **why** did the human body have to do such an embarrassing thing as to force the blood to your face like that???

That stupid idiot Breda chuckled like he'd just heard an interesting joke. "Trying to put the move's on the alien, Colonel?" Alien? Ftw? Did I **look** like a little green man to him?! Luckily, Havoc saved the little man from getting a special Casey Pummeling by sighing in a 'wow what an idiot' sort of way. "She's not an alien, Breda," he said in a world weary tone, "she's just not from where we are." At that I had to sweatdrop. Isn't that the pure definition of alien?

Roy cleared his throat, bringing my attention back to his smug little face. "I'm afraid," he said, drawling out the words in a way that made me positive he was sadistically enjoying what he was about to say, "That it **is** going to happen, unless you happen to have some money to get a room...?"

Damn. I'm screwed.

I stood, slightly glaring at the dark haired bastard. "I'll figure something out. I'll sleep in the park if I have to. Thanks anyway." With that, I turned and headed for the door. I heard a deep chuckle and footsteps behind me, but I ignored them, focused entirely on getting myself as far away from these people as possible. Especially a certain asswipe.... Gah, why did I always go fan girl over the bastard characters?

And speaking of bastards, the biggest one just **had** to stop me in my tracks. I felt a pair of arms wrap around my middle, then suddenly I was jerked into the air and set down uncomfortably on a shoulder. In other words, **ouch.** "I might be back in an hour or so, or I might not." Roy called to Havoc and the others. A confirmation was yelled back, and he started toward the exit.

Well, I hope the asshole didn't expect me to just sit there and take this. 'Cuz if he did, he was in for a reality check. A **big** one. "GAH!!!!" I flailed around as hard as I could. "RAPE!!! HELP!!! RAAAAPEEEE!!!!!!" ....what? Yelling rape is the fastest and easiest way to get someone to help you. I mean, try yelling, 'help, he's trying to kill me!' and you're S.O.L. But yell, 'help! He's trying to rape me!' And everyone and their dog come running!

.....and It was just a bonus that one of my flailing arms whacked Roy in the back of the head. heh. Karma wins again! ...But unfortunately, none of this caused him to stop. He continued walking, right out the door. Fortunately, (or so I thought) we ran into Roy's gun-wielding lieutenant, none other than Riza Hawkeye herself.

The blond woman saluted an extremely confused look rather obvious in her eyes. "Um...good morning, sir...and, um, sir's captive???" yes, captive! Now be a good military woman and HELP!!!

Roy chuckled. "I'm taking in a stray, Hawkeye. Please save any paperwork until I get back, I promise I'll fill it out when I get back in, ok?" ...did I detect a hint of nervousness in his normally confident voice?

"Um...yes sir..." Riza sounded as though she were still confused, and a little suspicious, though her features were now schooled into a stern mask that I knew she always wore when at work to scare her fellow military men (and woman, of course.). I heard a sigh of very definite relief from my captor, and almost laughed at how well trained Riza had her men. Note the **almost**, though, because I was also kind of pissed. She wouldn't even help me?!?!

Graaahhh!!! I recommenced my whacking technique. "Let. Me. GO!!!!" ...wow, I'm rather disappointed in myself. 'Let me go?' Is that **really** all I could come up with? Sigh. I guess I'm losing my touch.

"I'm trying to **help** you, Casey," Roy said, continuing toward wherever the hell he was taking me, "I'm just providing you with a place to stay until we figure out what to do. Nothing more." Yeah, help me my ASS! I growled a little, pissed as hell. "Maybe I don't **want** you to help me!!! Now put me **down**!!! This is **EMBARRASSING**!!!"

...Did he listen?

no.

"You'll live," he said in that 'haha I love your pain' voice of his. I hate it when people do that. Talk about seeing red! "NO I won't!" I whack him as hard as I possibly can across the back of his head. Want something to measure the force of the blow? Ok, one time I punched my bedroom wall. The hole's still there to this day. And that was back when I had been helping move a friend of mine's move around all day. In short, I was exhausted and not as strong as usual. Get the picture?

Roy stumbled, but to my dismay, he righted himself a few seconds later, muttering a low 'ow'. He walked up a driveway to a decent looking house. Large but not, 'holy shit it's a mansion!' big. Kinda pretty, but in a way that lets you know there's no women present to add the 'girly' touch to everything. "c'mon," the bastard said, "we're here." He set me down beside him, and I would have made a run for it, if it weren't for the almost painfully tight hold he had on my arm. He opened the front door, shoved me inside, and entered himself, closing and locking the door behind him.

**End Chapter Three**


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